HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2009-37the city, f
KENAI, ALASKA
CITY OF KENAI
RESOLUTION NO. 2009 -37
Suggested by: Mayor Porter
and Counselor Eldridge
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, REQUESTING
THE STATE OF ALASKA AMEND THE ALASKA STATUTES TO EXPAND AND
BROADEN REGULATION OF SMOKING IN PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT.
WHEREAS, the Alaska Statutes (AS 18.35.300 -342) regulates smoking in public
facilities, including state and local government public places of employment, but that
regulation does not include regulation of smoking in most private places of
employment; and,
WHEREAS, AS 18.35.300 -342 only regulates smoking in private places of employment
for entities such as health care, public transportation, grocery stores and food service
establishments serving over 50 persons; and,
WHEREAS, the protections in AS 18.35.300 -342 do not protect the majority of private
employees from the proven dangers of secondhand smoke; and,
WHEREAS, protecting private employees from the proven dangers of secondhand
smoke should be done on a statewide basis rather than by individual municipalities;
and,
WHEREAS, the severe disease causing and deadly harms of exposure to secondhand
smoke have been documented by the U.S. Surgeon General and numerous other
recognized scientific authorities; and,
WHEREAS, exposure to secondhand smoke is recognized as a leading cause of
preventable death and the U.S. Surgeon General has determined that exposure to
secondhand smoke causes approximately 50,000 non smoker deaths from lung cancer
and heart disease each year in the United States; and,
WHEREAS, it has been determined by the U.S. Surgeon that air ventilation systems
and filtration /cleaning systems cannot effectively protect health from secondhand
smoke and that only completely smoke -free environments can protect health; and,
WHEREAS, workers and members of the public exposed to secondhand smoke for only
a short period of time can experience adverse cardiovascular effects and there is no
safe level of exposure to the many carcinogens in secondhand smoke; and,
WHEREAS, the Kenai City Council hereby finds that it is in the best interest of the
public health, safety and welfare for the State of Alaska to supplement its regulation of
smoking in places of employment; and,
Resolution No. 2009 -37
Page 2 of 2
WHEREAS, twenty -three (23) states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia have
enacted statewide smoking bans in places of employment.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI,
ALASKA, the Alaska Legislature should amend AS 18.35.300 -342 to expand and
broaden the current regulation of smoking in places of employment.
PASSED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, this first day of July,
2009.
Carol L. Freas, City Clerk
PAT PORTER, MAYOR